HONOLULU, HI – Two years after Gary Ruby was found dead encased in cement in his bathtub, Juan Tejedor Baron has admitted to his role in the killing. Ruby, then 73, was reported missing in March 2022, and shortly thereafter, authorities located his body based on information from Baron, who stated they were engaged in an intimate relationship.
Baron, currently 25 years of age, entered a plea of guilty to second-degree murder earlier this week. Prosecutors negotiated a plea deal, agreeing not to press for a life sentence without parole, but recommending a minimum term of twenty years.
The defending team, led by Kyle Dowd, confirmed that Baron intended to accept responsibility for Ruby’s death. However, allegations of possible prosecutorial misconduct stalled the process.
A week following the gruesome discovery of Ruby’s body two years ago, Baron reportedly confessed to law enforcement officers that he had strangled Ruby after a sexual encounter, as detailed in an arrest warrant. Baron admitted to killing Ruby upon learning the latter was HIV-positive, then tried to stage it as a suicide by cutting Ruby’s wrists.
Moreover, he hid Ruby’s body in cement, covering it with coffee grounds to mask the odor of decomposition. This piece of evidence was also included in the warrant.
Baron and his friend, Scott Hannon, fled Hawaii after the murder but were arrested in Anaheim, California, while hiding under a bench on a bus bound for Mexico. Hannon was subsequently released after investigations found him uninvolved in the crime.
Authorities believe that Baron resided in Ruby’s $1.2 million home and drove his Audi A6 after Ruby’s death. The details in the warrant also stated that upon his arrest, Baron confessed to forging documents to fraudulently acquire Ruby’s property.